A teen-age Romanian acrobat with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has sought political asylum at a Queens police precinct, officials said. The 15-year-old girl, whose name was not released, was turned over Friday to the Justice Department, police said.

Affinity and co-branded credit cards continue to boom, each offering some special rebate or deal for consumers who charge. Some analysts think the card marketing is getting to be a circus--and, in fact, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has a card issued through MBNA Corp., which gives cardholders tickets to the circus and special merchandise, among other benefits.

"The circus is coming to town." Those were magical words back in the day before public zoos became commonplace, and before movies, telephones, television, radio, iPods and computers clamored for our attention. Back then, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was truly, by far, the "Greatest Show on Earth." Today, more than 100 years later, it's still quite a spectacular presentation as it competes for the public's eye in a crowded entertainment landscape.

Joseph E. D'Imperio, 61, former vice president for product and talent for RCA Victor records and credited with directing the recording careers of The Jefferson Airplane, The Youngbloods, Jose Feliciano, Charlie Pride, The Monkees and many other groups and individuals. D'Imperio was an attorney who joined RCA as counsel before moving into the entertainment area. He left Victor in 1970 and headed music operations for Ringling Bros.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus rang in its post-Gebel-Williams era Thursday with a new but less flashy star, animal trainer Flavio Togni from Italy. The all-new 120th edition show for Ringling's blue-unit premiered at Madison Square Garden, where it will run through April 29, and gave Togni his first chance to perform before a New York audience. The show is on a two-year national tour, visiting cities that were on the circus' red-unit tour last year.

Dr. Daniel Laughlin, a veterinarian from Riverside, Ill., and Raymond Long, owner of a wildlife refuge in Springfield, La., were sentenced to a year in prison in the theft of five white tiger cubs from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Both have been ordered to make restitution of $55,000 per cub for two cubs that died. They also must serve six months in a halfway house, in addition to their prison terms.